Telephone pay station apparatus



NOV. 15, 1938. G, ANDERSOLN 1 2,136,601

TELEPHONE PAY STATION APPARATUS Filed July 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNl/EN TOR .0. 6. ANDERSON A T TOR/V5 V Nov. 15 1938. A D. e. ANDERSON 2,136,601

TELEPHONE PAY STATION APPARATUS Filed July 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N 5 N TOR 0. a. ANDERSON A 7' TORNEV Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PA'IENT OFFICE Application July 11, 1936, Serial No. 90,102

4 Claims.

and more particularly to telephone pay station apparatus.

In a well known type of telephone pay station apparatus such, for example, as is disclosed in the Forsberg Patent No. 1,043,219, the coin sigmailing and line switch operating mechanisms are enclosed within a housing which is removably attached to a backplate having a peripheral flange overlapping the open rear edge of the housing. The receiver is mounted externally of the housing and is connected by means of a flexible electrical conducting cord to line terminals mounted within the housing. An entrance port is provided in the flange of the backplate, through which the receiver cord is inserted into the housing for connection with the line terminals. In the usual construction heretofore employed a separate bushing inserted in the flange of the backplate guides the cord into a rectangular cord housing cast on the front face of the backplate and having a cord exit hole in its top wall, whereby the cord makes a simple right-angle turn in passing through the guide bushing andcord housing to t he'front face of the backplate.

In some instances, unscrupulous persons have attempted to fraudulently operate or tamper with the mechanisms contained within the pay station housing by the manipulation of wires andthe a like inserted into the housing through the cord entrance passage.

Objects of the present invention are to simplify and improve the construction. of the receiver cord entrance portion of telephone pay station apparatus, whereby manufacturing costs are decreased and fraudulent tampering with the operating mechanisms is more effectively prevented.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a telephone pay station apparatus is provided with a flanged backplate having a receiver cord entrance portion constructed to provide a tortuous path for the cord leading through the flange to the front face of the backplate. A baffle in the cord path serves toprevent the fraudulent insertion and manipulation of wires and the like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a telephone pay station showing the general location of the receiver cord entry port;

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the upper portion of the pay station with the upper housing removed to show the relative locations of the cord entrance housing, the line switch contacts, and the switch operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front perspective view of 6 the cord entrance portion of the backplate;

This invention relates to telephone apparatus,-

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a front view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line '|-1 of 5 Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear View of the backplate showing an alternativeform of cord entrance passage;

Fig, 9 is a vertical section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, 10 and Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 8.

The telephone pay station apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the same general type as 15 that disclosed in the above mentioned Forsberg patent to which reference may be made for a more detailed description of the manner of operation. The apparatus comprises, in general, a casing or housing [0 removably attached to a 20 backplate or base ll having a peripheral flange i3 overlapping the open rear edge of the housing. On the front wall of the housing a transmitter I4 is mounted with electrical connections through the housing. On the topof the housing is mounted a coin gauge l5 having openings to accommodate coins of different size and denomination. These openings connect with different runways (not shown) which deliver the coins into a hopper l6 (Fig. 2) mounted within the housing. A trigger I'l projects into the hopper so that a coin passing through the hopper moves the trigger downwardly to permit an angular switch actuating lever l8 to close a pair of line switch contact l9.

A rec'eiverZl is normally supported upon a hook 22 projecting externally from one side of the housing. The receiver hook is fixed to one end of a rotary horizontal shaft 23, the opposite end of which carries an actuator 24 for operat- 40 ing a pair of contact springs 26 of a contact spring pile-up 21 mounted on the front face of the backplate and enclosed within the housing. This single spring pile-up serves as a convenient means for connecting the receiver, transmitter and other 45 operative parts of the apparatus with the line circuits.

A flexible electrical conducting cord 30 connects the receiver to the proper contact spring terminals of the pile-up so that the closing of contact 5 springs 26 and line switch 19 connects the receiver to the line circuit. As stated above the line switch I!) is closed by a deposited coin and. the contact springs 26 are closed upon removing the receiver from the hook. 55

The general arrangement thus far described is well known in the art and, therefore, no'further disclosure thereof is believed necessary to a complete understanding of the present invention, which pertains primarily to simplifications and improvements in the construction of the cord entrance portion of the backplate, whereby the cost of manufacturing the backplate is reduced and fraudulent attempts to insert wires and the like through the cord entrance passage are more effectively resisted.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention the cord entrance portion of the backplate is constructed so as to provide a tortuous path for the cord leading through the flange to the front face of the backplate, whereby the difficulty of inserting wires and the like through the cord passage is materially increased. This is ac-, complished, for example, by providing one or more bafiles in the cord passage so as to obstruct the normal path leading from the cord entrance opening to the cord exit opening.

As shown in the drawings, the cord entrance portion of the backplate comprises a cord housing 35 which may be in the form of a hollow protuberance or embossment on the front face of the backplate adjoining the cord entrance portion of the backplate flange l3 and preferably cast integral therewith. The cord housing is shaped to provide a compartment or cavity 38 which is open to the back face of the backplate. A circular cord entrance opening 33 in a forwardly projecting ear 3! on the backplate flange leads into the cavity 36 through a constricted semi-cylindrical portion 39 of the cord housing.

In the upper portion of the cord housing there is provided a circular cord exit opening lil leading forwardly and upwardly from within the cavity 36 to the front face of the backplate. A substantially vertical wall or baffle 42 within the upper portion of the cord housing extends down- Wardly between the cord entrance and exit openings, serving as a barrier therebetween, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 8. This baflle or barrier is so positioned with respect to the axes of the cord entrance and exit openings that the only unobstructed passage through the cord housing to the front face of the backplate is a tortuous passage comprising a plurality of bends in different directions, first downwardly and then upwardly around the bottom edge of the baffle and then forwardly through the cord exit opening. Therefore, the insertion of wires or the like through the cord housing to the front face of the backplate is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, especially when the receiver cord is in the tortutous passage, substantially completely filling as it does the cord entrance and exit openings.

It will be obvious, of course, that the casing 18 is removed in order to insert the receiver cord through the tortuous passage and connect it to the proper contact terminals, so that the cord exit opening is accessible for the purpose of inserting a suitable tool therethrough, if necessary, to pull out the leading end of the cord.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, the baflle 42 extends rearwardly to the rear edges of reinforcing ribs 44 on the back face of the backplate so that when the latter is attached to a wall or backboard, the rear edge of the baffle is flush with the front face of the wall, preventing the passage of a wire or the like across the rear edge of the baflle.

In order to further prevent fraudulent insertion and manipulation of wires or the like, there is provided in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, an additional barrier or bathe in the form of a substantially horizontal web or ridge 46 in the cord housing below the cord exit opening, and joining the bottom edge of the vertical baffie 42 with the reinforcing rib 44, as best shown in Fig. 4. The rear edge of the baffle 46 has a notch 41 through which the receiver cord passes toward the cord exit hole.

The left side wall of the casing ll] has a notch (not shown) in its rear edge for receiving the constricted portion 39 of the cord housing. A substantially vertical flange or wall 50 on the outside of the cord housing is arranged to extend into the casing in overlapping relation with respect to the notched wall portion thereof, thus preventing the insertion of wires or the like through the notch.

As shown in the drawings, all parts of the improved cord entrance portion of the backplate are either rounded or inclined with respect to the plane of the backplate, so that it may be cast without using cores, thereby decreasing manufacturing costs. It will be understood, of course, that the cord entrance and exit holes are formed by drilling through the casting at the proper points.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited. to the specific embodiments thereof herein illustrated and described, except insofar as is defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A backplate for telephone apparatus having a receiver cord entrance housing adjacent an edge portion thereof, said edge portion having a cord entrance opening leading into a portion of the cord housing and said housing having a cord exit opening in another portion thereof leading to the front face of the backplate, and a battle between said portions of the housing providing a tortuous passage interconnecting said openings.

2. A backplate for telephone apparatus having a receiver cord entrance housing on its front face, said housing having a cord entrance opening and a cord exit opening, and an angular barrier within the housing providing a tortuous passage interconnecting said openings.

3. A backplate for telephone apparatus having spaced reinforcing ribs on its rear face and a peripheral flange and cord housing adjacent thereto on its front face, said housing having a cord entrance opening leading thereinto through said flange and a cord exit opening leading therefrom to the front face of the backplate, and a baflle within the housing intermediate the said openings and providing a tortuous passage therebetween, the rear edge of said baflle and the rear edges of said reinforcing ribs being in substantially the same plane.

4. A backplate for telephone apparatus comprising a hollow embossment on its front face, said embossment comprising a channel-shaped entrance passage extending from the edge of the backplate and an enlarged cavity into which said passage opens, an exit'opening being provided through the embossment, and a bafile extending transversely substantially across said passage and separating it from the exit opening except at one end of the baffle thereby providing a cord entrance passage having reverse bends.

DAVID Gr. ANDERSON. 

